cb aerial question

[devs]

hello.i have just purchased a cb off the bay for the truck and looking at aerials am i right in thinking that a pre loaded areial does not need to be set up or am i wrong as usual.
thank you,
paul.

 

[Deleted Member D]

CB

Am not 100% mate but every cb I have ever owned (6) have had to be swr in. Easy process. :roll: :smile:

 

[Terranosaurus]

Yes, they sell them as pre swr'd but it's sales rubbish - every installation is different, even moving the twig from one end of roof to other can affect swr so need setting up on vehicle.

 

[jims-terrano]

As people have said it's easy, you just need an SWR Meter. Set the rig to middle channel (20 on a 40 channel), the aerial usually has to be made either longer or shorter. You usually have a grub screw at the bottom of the metal whip, slacken this and move the whip either in or out and retighten the screw and then recheck the SWR reading. Some aerials are different but most are like the description. The SWR needs to be as low as possible.

Jim T

 

[devs]

thanks guys,looks like i`ll be getting an swr meter as well then.
paul.

 

[Deleted Member S]

Hi devs :smile: if your over Newcastle way by any chance give me a shout & you can borrow my SWR meter :wink:

 

[devs]

hey thanks neil,closest i get to newcastle is hexam.
just been given 3 aerials by the landlord of the local,how can i tell if they are for mobile or not.?
paul.

 

[Deleted Member S]

Hi devs don't know if you have a maplins near you but found this on their site, you may be able to get one cheaper else where but it'll give you an idea of what you needhttp://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=99533&doy=16m2

If you want to email me a photo of the aerials i will have a look for you if that helps

 

[jims-terrano]

Most home base antenna's are made of ally tubing and a mobile antenna is usually thin stainless steel rod with a plastic type piece at the bottom or sometimes they are made of fibreglass. mobile antenna's are also around 4 foot long but can be a bit longer. As Sweety says try Maplins for an SWR meter. hope this helps Paul.

Jim T

 

[devs]

cheers fellas,here is a couple of pics of them...2 longer ones are 4 foot 3 inches and smaller one is just over 2 foot.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/ELL-CEE/aerial2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/ELL-CEE/aerial1.jpg

thanks,
paul.

 

[Deleted Member S]

I would prob try the blue one 1st as it looks a bit like my old bull whip & it was a corker. Off road the smaller one may be better but once you set the SWR one them you will be able to swap them for what you want to do :wink:

 

[jims-terrano]

Look like mobile CB antenna's to me. Does the shorter one have two metal rings that screw up and down the black section at the bottom of the aerial?

Jim T

 

[devs]

thanks neil,i will probably end up buying a new one anyway as i need a magmount so might as well go the whole hog eh!.
off to bed now as the wife wants a day out in hawes tomorrow so might see if any lanes are available while we are in the area :wink:
paul.

 

[devs]

Look like mobile CB antenna's to me. Does the shorter one have two metal rings that screw up and down the black section at the bottom of the aerial?

Jim T

yes jim i think it must of at some time but sadly only the thread remains.
thanks,
paul.

 

[jims-terrano]

That's a shame as it is no use now. The two rings were to adjust the SWR and was called a Dial A Match, there were two versions. A short one like yours and a longer version. Try and find or make some kind of metal bracket arrangement as a mag mounts wont hold those other aerials very well when going off road. Tree branches don't half give em a good whack and knock them off. I have heard of people making a bracket that fastens on spare wheel carrier. All my aerials use a converted truck mirror mount fastened around the roof rails.

Jim T